Blackhawks acquire Duclair in four-player deal

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Blackhawks acquire Duclair in four-player deal
TSN.ca Staff

The Arizona Coyotes have traded forward Anthony Duclair and defenceman Adam Clendening to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Richard Panik and Laurent Dauphin.

Duclair, 22, has nine goals and six assists in 33 games with Arizona this season.

Craig Custance of The Athletic reported on Jan. 4 that Duclair had requested a trade out of Arizona.

Drafted in the third round by the New York Rangers in 2013, Duclair was traded to the Coyotes in 2015 as part of a deal for veteran blueliner Keith Yandle.

He signed a one-year contract with the Coyotes last summer and is eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1.

In 190 NHL contests, Duclair has 35 goals and 46 assists.

Clendening has two assists in five games with the Coyotes this season, while Panik has six goals and 10 assists for the Blackhawks. The 26-year-old signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract last offseason with Chicago.

Dauphin, 22, had four goals and 10 assists for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. He was originally drafted by the Coyotes in second round (39th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

No salary will be retained by either side.

[folatre]

It kind of looks like a wash. Duclair is the one who could catch fire. Panik is certainly an NHL player but he is turning 27 next month and at least for me has never looked like anything special.

I am kind of surprised Arizona could not get a pick in a slightly better overall package from some club, not necessarily a playoff bound club, for Duclair.

Maybe this deal gives Chicago a tiny bit more cap space at the deadline to get a centre?

[seventeen]

John Chayka states they've been taking offers on Duclair for 2 years and this is the best one by far that the Hawks made (compared to previous Hawk offers). I was never impressed with Duclair. He's a very good athlete, but I question his hockey sense.

One wonders about Chayko too. Here's a comment he really should have kept to himself. It reminds me too much of Bergevin's comment after the Tinordi trade..."if you only knew what I know"...

[NWTHabsFan]

Tocchet was pretty critical of Duclair about a week ago when he mentioned that he came into camp out of shape and was not adapting to the team's system. This is his third NHL team since being drafted. Maybe he will finally "get it" and break out with the Blackhawks, as that is clearly what they have traded for in this deal. I know a lot of draft watchers were shocked he dropped so low and that the Habs passed several times on un gars de chez nous that was loaded with talent. There were question marks about his work ethic and attitude then. I guess they still persist. He has been on the block for a while, so I wonder if the Habs sniffed around.

[Cranky]

I doubt BergyBust would sniff at a head case. He places a premium on character which Diclair appears to fail at.

[seventeen]

I have serious doubts about Duclair's hockey IQ. At the WJC a few years ago I noticed too many instances where he made the 'wrong' play, at least IMO. And I'm smarter than he is.

Glad we stayed away.